-1Disclaimer-I don't own the characters or anything else from Ella Enchanted.
Summary: After something very bad happens to Hattie's family she finds herself leaning on someone that she never thought that she would, Ella. Ella is also going through a very important change in her life and finds herself bonding with Hattie in spite of their past rocky relationship. This story is about the ups and downs of their relationship and how ultimately they become close and get a better understanding of each other as they are going through different stages in their lives. I would appreciate reviews and feedback on this story.
Sweet and Bitter Surprises
"Pass me the nutmeg Sweet." Mandy instructed to Ella. Ella gave Mandy the spice and watched as Mandy poured it into the batter of the cake that she was making. It was a cool crisp afternoon and after spending some time in the castle garden, Ella decided to go to the kitchen and help Mandy cook dinner. Tonight her and Char were having Prince Jacobston and Princess Karoleena from the kingdom of Para over. Char had become good friends with Prince Jacobston after Jacobston had helped save him from some ogres. After Jacobston had saved him they had went out on several hunting trips together. Char had finally decided to invite Jacobston and his wife Princess Karoleena over for dinner, so that Ella and the rest of his family could meet them.
"Pass , the goose eggs love." Mandy instructed Ella again. Ella gave Mandy one egg., which Mandy cracked on the side of the bowl and put into the batter. When she reached to give Mandy the second egg, she felt a little woozy and dropped the egg on the floor.
"Ay lady another egg dropped." Mandy commented looking down at the floor. "You have been dropping things all over the place lately. You've been even more clumsy than your usual clumsy self. Is everything all right Ella?"
Ella shook her head. "I don't know Mandy." She admitted. "All of a sudden I just felt woozy. That has been happening a lot lately. I try to do something and then I feel sick. At times I can barely keep food up, often I am running to one of the castle chambers. I keep getting these spells of feeling nauseous. I don't know what is going on with me."
"Hmm…" Mandy pondered curiously. "How long have you been feeling this way love?"
"For several days, I have been having these feelings of nausea. And I also have been feeling fatigued as well."
"Maybe you are coming down with a virus or something. We shall have a doctor look at you. To determine what is wrong."
Ella nodded. "Yes, I think I will go see the Royal doctor today." Ella continued to help Mandy prepare dinner and then excused herself to go see the Royal doctor.
After examining her, for a while, the Royal doctor Cartin was deep in thought. "You seem to be in good health, no sign of a virus or an illness. I wonder…" He paused and then he smiled. "Princess Eleanor, I think it is possible that you are…"
"She is with child." Serry the elf nurse that assisted Cartin confirmed, as she walked into the room looking at Ella. Serry had worked with Cartin for some time, she was a bright and efficient nurse who had often had a sixth sense about the people that the doctor treated. Often when he was unable to figure out what illness had befallen someone she could just look at someone and figure out what it was. Her diagnoses were often spot on, and the Royal doctor as well as people all throughout the Kingdom valued her opinion.
Ella was stunned. "What?" She asked surprised.
"You are with child, my dear." Serry repeated, with a smile on her face. She picked up one of the bags of herbs and sniffed it. "This poppelweed is still fresh enough to use." She informed Dr. Cartin. "We can use it to help heal cuts."
As Ella watched her and the doctor talk, a wave of emotions went through her. She was with child? She had to admit that the idea was both overwhelming and surprising. Ella always wanted children, and her and Char had always intended to start a family. They had been married for five years now and Ella knew that is was high time for them to start a family. But she was still stunned that it was actually happening now. If what Serry said was true, which she knew it probably was, then she was carrying her and Char's baby. She was carrying their child, someone that they would love and treasure always, someone that could be an eventual heir to the throne and carry on their legacy. As these thoughts went through Ella's mind, tears welled up in her eyes. She was so happy.
Serry stopped looking at the bags of herbs and looked at Ella. She studied Ella for a moment, and a realization came into her mind. "You know my dear, I believe that I was wrong, about you being with child…"
Ella's heart fell. So it wasn't true? She had been looking forward to it…
"You are with twins." Serry stated, a huge smile breaking out on her face.
Ella was stunned even more. Twins? Her and Char were going to have two children? Ella felt like someone had just given her two very special gifts. Her heart danced and her eyes welled up again.
The Royal doctor and Serry talked with her again, and examined her once more and determined that she was indeed going to have twins. Before she left the Royal doctor told her that he wanted to see her come by regularly for checkups. He gave her a schedule and a supply of three exliqurs that he wanted her to take every day. "For the health and well-being of mother and babies." He had stated. As Ella made her way out of his room and walked back to the kitchen, she was feeling very happy. She wanted to jump up and down and scream to the world her wonderful, amazing news. She couldn't wait to tell Mandy.
She knew that Mandy would be ecstatic to hear the news. She probably would help Ella start picking out baby names. Ella wondered if the twins would be two girls, or two boys, or maybe a boy and a girl. She couldn't wait to start picking out names for them. She wondered what names Char would come up with, for them. Char. Ella's smile became wider when she thought of him. She knew that Char would be thrilled to hear this news. She imagined him giving her that beautiful smile of his and his eyes lighting up when she told him the news.
Ella went back into the kitchen and told Mandy the news. Mandy had laughed, cried, and then threw her apron off in joy when she heard the news. "I should have known love. I should have known." Mandy hugged Ella. "So when are you going to tell your Prince?"
Ella smiled. "I was thinking of telling Char tonight, after the dinner. I think that…" Her thoughts were interrupted when a distraught Hattie and a guard came running into the kitchen. "I'm sorry your highness, she insisted that she had to see you." The guard said sheepishly.
"It's okay." Ella told him. She looked at Hattie and saw how distraught she looked. Her hair was kind of messy, her eyes were red from tears that she had cried, her eyes were scared and sad. Ella had never seen Hattie look so bad.
She went over to her. "Hattie, Hattie, what is wrong?" Ella asked. She didn't really care for Hattie, but she knew that by her appearance that something was terribly wrong, and she felt compelled to help her.
"Oh, Ella, Ella…" Hattie grabbed both of Ella's arms and looked into her face. Ella saw the fear, pain and sadness etched into her eyes. "It's Olive…She's.."
"She's what?" Ella prodded gently.
"She's…. dead. And it's all my fault Ella. It's all my fault." Ella looked at Hattie after she revealed this news and was stunned by it. She had no idea what had happened to Olive and what was going on with Hattie, but she was determined to find out.
